Protective case hinge structure

Abstract

A case includes a case body, a case cover and a hinge structure. The hinge structure includes a first joint extended from a rear panel of the case body, a supporting arm having a front biasing surface and a rear biasing surface, and second joint which is extended from the rear wall of the case cover and has a holding slot to define a closed stopping surface and an opened stopping surface. The supporting arm is shaped and sized to slidably fit into the holding slot. Therefore, the supporting arm is slid outwardly from the holding slot until the rear biasing surface is biased against the closed stopping surface to close the case body with the case cover, and the supporting arm is slid into the holding slot until the front biasing surface is biased against the opened stopping surface to open the case body with the case cover.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A case, comprising: 
       a case body having a storage compartment;  
       a case cover adapted to enclose said storage compartment; and  
       at least a hinge structure comprising a pair of first and second joints extended from a side of said case body and a respective side of said case cover respectively so as to securely connect said case cover with said case body, wherein:  
       said first joint comprises an elongated supporting arm having an arc-shaped cross section and defining an elongated holding slot therethrough, an elongated outer wall, and an elongated inner wall, wherein said holding slot is defined between said elongated outer wall and said elongated inner wall, so as to define a closed stopping surface on said outer wall at an opening end of said holding slot and an opened stopping surface at a closed end thereof, and  
       said second joint comprises an elongated pivot arm pivotally received in and extended along said holding slot of said first joint, wherein said case cover is capable of folding up and down with respect to said case body to open and close said case by pivotally rotating said pivot arm of said second joint within and about said supporting arm of said first joint, wherein said second joint further comprises a support base and said elongated pivot arm of the second joint has an arc-shaped cross section and an elongated support portion integrally extended from said support base and an enlarged end portion that defines a front biasing surface provided at a front end of said end portion and a rear biasing surface outwardly extended between said support portion and said end portion;  
       wherein said holding slot has an arc-shaped cross section and a size and curvature arranged for said pivot arm to be pivotally received therein, so as to enable said case cover to be pivotally folded with respect to said case body between a closed position and an opened position, wherein in said closed position, said support portion of said pivot arm is slid out of said holding slot until said rear biasing surface of said pivot arm is biased against said closed stopping surface of said outer wall, and that in said opened position, said support portion of said pivot arm is slid into said holding slot until said front biasing surface of said pivot arm is biased against said opened stopping surface of said holding slot, wherein said support base has a top round end and is biased against said inner wall and functions as a pivot point of said second joint, wherein said inner wall is arranged to slidably move at said top round end of said support base between said opened position and said closed position, wherein said inner wall further has a flat positioning surface slidably biased against said top round end of said inner wall so as to enhance a folding operation of said case cover with respect to said case body.  
     
     
       2. The case, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said holding slot defines a traveling distance between said opened stopping surface and said closed stopping surface of said holding slot that allows said supporting arm to slide along said traveling distance between said closed position and said opened position of said case cover. 
     
     
       3. The case, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said supporting arm further has a curved inner surface having a curvature the same as a curvature of a curved inner surface of said inner wall in such a manner that said inner surface of said supporting arm is fittedly sliding on said inner surface of said inner wall in a frictionally movable manner. 
     
     
       4. The case, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said supporting arm further has a curved inner surface having a curvature the same as a curvature of a curved inner surface of said inner wall in such a manner that said inner surface of said supporting arm is fittedly sliding on said inner surface of said inner wall in a frictionally movable manner. 
     
     
       5. The case, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each of said first and second joints comprises two connecting walls for respectively mounting a rear panel of said case body and a rear wall of said case cover between said two connecting walls in a sandwiched manner. 
     
     
       6. The case, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein each of said first and second joints comprises two connecting walls for respectively mounting a rear panel of said case body and a rear wall of said case cover between said two connecting walls in a sandwiched manner. 
     
     
       7. The case, as recited in  claim 3 , wherein each of said first and second joints comprises two connecting walls for respectively mounting a rear panel of said case body and a rear wall of said case cover between said two connecting walls in a sandwiched manner. 
     
     
       8. The case, as recited in  claim 4 , wherein each of said first and said second joints comprises two connecting walls for respectively mounting a rear panel of said case body and a rear wall of said case cover between said two connecting walls in a sandwiched manner.